Review

“The Chronicles of Amber (#1-5)” by Roger Zelazny is categorised as science fiction, but if anything it reads as high fantasy. Now, the books themselves are wonderful, personally I love the mode of travel Roger Zelazny introduces here and the way it is used. It is a wonderfully imaginative way journeys are performed and explained by the author. The story itself also introduces a family ripe with intrigue and conflict, trust is not something you have in this family, especially not between family members. The characters are distinct in their personalities and motives, which makes for entertaining reading. It is by no means the most cerebral book I’ve read in recent years, but it is incredibly entertaining.

So, if you’re looking for a fantasy-style book, with lots of drama and activity, this is a great book to read. You will be entertained throughout the book and if you let your inner imagination run wild with the picturesque vistas laid out by the author, you will have an excellent time reading all 5 books. (I’ve yet to read the remaining 5 books, but I’m certain I’ll get around to that.)

In order to compare this book to anything, I’d make the comparison to the books by Neil Gaiman. The genre and themes are very much in line and if the cover had had Neil Gaiman on it instead of Roger Zelazny, I’m not certain I would’ve been able to tell the difference. Otherwise, the best comparisons to be made are in the fantasy genres and I’d say that the book reads as a simpler version of some of Brandon Sanderson’s books and also somewhat like “The Wheel of Time”-series by Robert Jordan, but a lot less grim than what Robert Jordan presented in his epic series.

Score: 9/10

It is no secret that I’m a fan of Roger Zelazny, I find him to be an extremely vibrant author, who loves to write. When this is evident for me as a reader, it’s all the more pleasure to see where he will take you. I have then decided on a score of 9 out of 10, mostly due to how picturesque the book is and how the plot unfolds in an entertaining manner. A small warning however, there are quite a few spelling errors in the book. It doesn’t bother me too much, but there were enough of them to warrant a warning.

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